Two Cows and a Sheep

This etching is part of a series of cattle shown in various positions and from different points of view. Despite its small scale, the image contains an exceptional amount of anatomical detail, gleaned from close observation of the animals’ musculature, bone structure, and fur.

Active in the 17th century, Dutch artists Adriaen van de Velde and Paulus Potter were greatly admired for their naturalistic and sensitive depictions of farm animals in their representations of Dutch rural life. Well into the following century, French artists turned to prints by Van de Velde and Potter for motifs to incorporate into their own compositions. As demand for Dutch animal prints outlasted the supply, later artists made one‑to‑one copies of their images. This late‑18th‑century version by an unnamed French printmaker demonstrates the enduring and widespread appreciation for Van de Velde’s and Potter’s animal studies.